Event expected to draw 150,000 attendees

Posted by Arthur Thomas from BizTimes on October 31, 2018

Foxconn Technology Group is taking 10 Wisconsin companies to the first China International Import Expo scheduled to begin Monday and run through Nov. 10 in Shanghai.

The expo, announced in May 2017, is a major initiative of the Chinese government to open the Chinese market to the world and is expected to draw 150,000 attendees from more than 100 companies.

Wisconsin companies will be featured as part of the Foxconn Innovation Pavilion, a 5,300-square-foot exhibition area.

“The China International Import Expo is a unique opportunity to showcase the vast strengths of Wisconsin companies to a targeted broader audience including central, provincial and local government procurement officials. As Foxconn contributes to the transformation of Wisconsin into an international tech hub, we are eager to deepen awareness of Wisconsin innovation around the world,” said Louis Woo, special assistant to Foxconn CEO Terry Gou.

Foxconn worked with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to identify companies to participate in the expo. Mark Maley, a WEDC spokesman, said the company approached the agency about the opportunity several months ago. He said WEDC recommended companies it interacts with through the regular course of its work.

“We didn’t want to do a major corporation that everyone has heard of,” he said.

A portion of the Foxconn exhibit space will be dedicated to the four freshwater technology companies participating in the event.

“The People’s Republic of China is already one of the largest markets in the world,” said Eric Love, chairman of STAR Water. “Policy settings such as ‘Beautiful China’ and the Sponge Cities Program will further expand this market while improving the environment of China. Our company wishes to support China’s commitment to sustainability through the localization and supply of technology that can assist these fantastic environmental initiatives.”